"CONTEMPLATING THE VOID": POSTGRADUATE SYMPOSIUM XIII, SCHOOL OF ENGLISH, UNIVERSITYOF NEW SOUTH WALES, Sydney, Australia, October 12-13, 2006

What fills the gap left by the evacuation of the grand narratives? What is the value of negative space?Silence? Incoherence? What are the politics and problematics of representation in a world oft markedby political, intellectual, and spiritual chaos? In contemporary society, how can language function as abridge, articulating loss and thereby filling the void with significance?

The conveners of the School of English's Postgraduate Symposium XIII welcome proposals frompostgraduate students and early-career researchers that utilize a wide variety of critical and creativeapproaches to this year's theme. Works that contemplate the void enact a crucial negotiation at theouter limits of representation and originate from disciplines as diverse as cultural studies, creativewriting, critical theory, trauma theory, post-theory, performativity, as well as interdisciplinary realms.Key words that may characterize your proposal include:

To register your interest in presenting at this forum, email a 250-word abstract to Heather Moritz(heather.moritz_at_student.unsw.edu.au) no later than September 1, 2006. Please include a working titlefor your presentation, your name, institutional affiliation, email address and contact details. Proposalsfor academic papers or creative works are welcome. All presentations are limited to 20 minutes.Notice of accepted proposals will be conducted via email by September 8, 2006.

The Symposium provides an ideal forum for postgraduates and early-career researchers to sharetheir ideas and receive constructive feedback. Registration is free and lunch, morning and afternoontea will be provided.